A cosmetic surgeon is a doctor who specializes in procedures that are classed as plastic surgery or reconstructive surgery. Though people most commonly associate cosmetic surgery with procedures such as breast augmentation that are performed strictly to enhance features purely to increase their aesthetic appeal, most procedures are actually reconstructive procedures intended to correct deformities and injuries.
Cosmetic surgeons perform a number of procedures both for aesthetic and functional purposes. Because cosmetic surgery is a broad field, patients typically experience the best results when choosing a surgeon that specializes in the specific procedures they require.
Procedures that cosmetic surgeons perform
Reconstructive cosmetic surgery is performed in numerous situations. It is often used as a means to correct birth defects and other abnormalities, but it is also used to correct the damage from serious accidents and injuries. Common types of reconstructive plastic surgery include scar treatments, cleft lip and palate surgery, skin grafts for burn victims, and breast reconstruction following a mastectomy. Most reconstructive procedures performed by cosmetic surgeons are to restore functionality, but they may also be done to create or restore a more normal physical appearance.
Plastic surgery includes a vast number of elective cosmetic procedures intended to improve one’s outward appearance. These procedures have become increasingly popular in recent years and include invasive surgeries including breast augmentation or reduction, liposuction, rhinoplasty, facelifts, and tummy tucks. There are also less invasive cosmetic procedures designed to treat scars and the signs of aging such as laser skin resurfacing and filler injections like Botox or collagen.
Educational requirements for cosmetic surgeons
Cosmetic surgeons can come from numerous backgrounds. This type of specialized surgery is typically learned in the years following a student’s graduation from medical school and completion of an internship. Through continuing education, fellowships, and post residency programs, new doctors can learn the skills required to become a board certified cosmetic surgeon.
Though the two main branches of cosmetic surgery are plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery, there are also several other sub-specialties that a doctor can choose to learn. These specialized sectors of cosmetic surgery include microsurgery, pediatrics, hand surgery, craniofacial surgery, and burn surgery. Each of these sub-specialties comes with its own set of challenges, and because of the increased difficulty of these fields, surgeons require years of additional training and hands-on experience prior to becoming certified. Patients who are looking for cosmetic surgery that falls into any of these sub-specialties are best to look for specialists within the corresponding field to achieve the best results.
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